Heterocyclic compounds based on N6-substituted adenine, methods of their preparation, their use for preparation of drugs, cosmetic preparations and growth regulators, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetic preparations and growth regulators containing these compounds

ABSTRACT

Novel heterocyclic derivatives based on N 6 -substituted adenine, having anticancer, mitotic, immunosuppressive and antisenescent properties for plant, animal and human cells and methods of their preparation. Included are also pharmaceutical compositions, cosmetic preparations and growth regulators, which contain these derivatives as active compound and the use of these derivatives for the preparation of drugs, cosmetic preparations, in biotechnological processes, in cosmetics and in agriculture.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation-In-Part application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/485,091, filed on Jan. 27, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,279,482, which is a National Stage of International Application number PCT/CZ02/00045, filed on Aug. 1, 2002, now expired, which claims priority to Czech Republic patent application number PV 2001-2818, filed on Aug. 2, 2001. The preceding applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to new heterocyclic derivatives based on N⁶-substituted adenine, having anticancer, mitotic, immunosuppressive and antisenescent properties for plant, animal and human cells, methods of their preparation and their use as drugs, pharmaceutical compositions, which contain these derivatives as active compound and the use of these derivatives for the preparation of drugs, cosmetic preparations, in biotechnological processes, in cosmetics and in agriculture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Well proven plant regulatory compounds are phytohormones. An important place among them has cytokinins. Structurally, all naturally occurring cytokinins belong to the homogenous group of N⁶-substituted adenine derivatives, playing an important role in many different developmental processes, including cell division, growth and differentiation, as well as flower and fruit development. They can break seed dormancy, inhibit apical dominance and stimulate the growth of side shoots, delay the cell ageing, increase stress resistance, affect cell membrane permeability and cause accumulation of various metabolites in the site of their application (Letham a Palni 1983—Ann. Rev. Plant. Physiol. 34: 163-197, 1983, Mok, D. W. S., Mok, M. C.: Cytokinins: Chemistry, Activity and Function. CRC Press, Boca Raton, London, Tokyo 1994).

Their interaction with auxins is especially important in stimulation of cell division and regulation of cell differentiation in plant tissue cultures (Skoog, Miller 1957). The general definition of cytokinins as group of plant growth regulators is also based on this effect (Skoog, F., Armstrong, D. J.: Cytokinins.—Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 21: 359-384, 1970). 6-benzylaminopurin (BAP), together with kinetin, is usually used as an active cytokinin for plant in vitro cultures. This compound was for long time thought to be purely synthetic, however, its natural occurrence in plants was recently proved. There are usually refereed as a cytokinins also a compounds having limited or none biological activity (7- and 9-glucosides, amino acid conjugates, some hyper modified cytokinins in tRNA). From this reason, compounds structurally derived from N⁶-substituted adenine are refereed as cytokinins also in this application.

Since all living organisms on the Earth have been evolutionary developing together for many millions of years, the presence of regulatory interactions of plant compounds, as cytokinins are, in animals and human can be assumed. Cytokinin-derived compounds probably affect many different molecular mechanisms in animal and human cells. We recently discovered, that novel generations of anti-inflammatory, anticancer, immunosuppressive, antiviral and other drugs could be based on N⁶-substituted purines and their derivatives.

The aim of this invention to provide anticancer, immunosuppressive, growth-regulatory, morphogenetically active and antisenescence heterocyclic compounds having improved selectivity and efficiency index, i.e. that are less toxic yet more efficacious than analogues known heretofore.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cosmetic composition comprising 6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for inhibiting ageing and senescence of mammalian epidermal cells, comprising administering 6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine to a mammal in need of such treatment. The mammalian epidermal cells include, for example, keratinocytes or fibroblasts.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In FIG. 1 there is shown the inhibition of growth of K562 (A) and CEM (B) tumour cell lines by tested compounds. Cytotoxicity was determined in the presence of Calcein AM. Activity is presented as percentage of maximal activity (in the absence of inhibitors). iP: isopentenyladenine; 2F BAP: 6-(2-fluorobenzylamino)purine; 2Cl BAP: 6-(2-chlorobenzylamino)purine; 2OH-3OCH₃ BAP: 6-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino)purine.

In FIG. 2 there are shown senescent cells in culture of human fibroblasts (B) (the other cells (A)) stained blue due to the action of β-galactosidase on the substrate X-gal (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-β-D-galactopyranosid) (1 mg/ml).

In FIG. 3 there is shown the induced apoptosis in tumour cells MCF-7 cell line after application of cytokinin 6-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino)purine. A MCF-7, apoptotic cells: 6 h, 12, 20 μM, B MCF-7, secondary necrotic cells (i.e. necrosis following apoptosis), 12 h, 12, 40 μM; C MCF-7, necrotic cells, 24 h, 12, 40 μM. Anexin FITC V (Mol. Probes) and propidium iodide staining: anexin—green, PI—red.

FIG. 4 shows the apoptotic cells detection using Anexin (green fluorescence) and Hoechstem 33285 (blue fluorescence) staining. Analysed using “Olympus image analysis” after treatment of MCF-7 tumour cells by 6-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino)purine. A,B—control cells without treatment; C,D—apoptotic cells (condensation of chromatin); A,C—fluorescence microscopy; B,D—fluorescence image analysis.

FIG. 5 shows the effect of tested compounds on retention of chlorophyll in excised wheat leaf tips. Values are expressed as % of initial chlorophyll content of fresh leaves before the incubation. Error bars show standard deviations of the mean for 5 replicate determinations. Dashed line indicates control incubation without any cytokinin, which was 31.7±0.9.

In FIG. 6 there is shown the effect of tested compounds on fresh weight yield of tobacco callus culture. Error bars show standard deviations of the mean for 5 replicate determinations. Dashed line indicates the value for the control treatment without any cytokinin, 2.2±0.4 g.

FIG. 7 shows the effect of tested compounds on dark induction of betacyanin synthesis in Amaranthus caudatus cotyledon/hypocotyl explants. Error bars show standard deviations of the mean for 5 replicate determinations. Dashed line indicates the values for the control treatment without added cytokinin, 0.043±0.009. Values represent the difference in O.D. units between absorption at 537 and 620 nm.

FIG. 8 shows the relative number of explants with at least one brown leaf in function of culture time (▪: BA, ●: mT, ▴: mMeOBAP).

In FIG. 9 there is shown the relative number of dead explants in relation to culture time (▪: BA, ●: mT, ▴: mMeOBAP).

In FIG. 10 there is shown at left: dead Rosa hybrida explant on BA containing medium; at right: vigorous Rosa hybrida plantlet after 121 days of cultivation on mMeOBAP containing medium.

FIG. 11 shows the effect of para-topolin (6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on cell attachment.

FIG. 12 shows the effect of para-topolin (6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on short-term growth.

FIG. 13 represents giemsa stained pictures of SNF20 p18.

FIG. 14 shows the effect of para-topolin (6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on cell survival.

FIG. 15 shows the effect of para-topolin (6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on lysosomal activity (20×).

FIG. 16 shows the effect of para-topolin (6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on macro-molecular turn over.

FIG. 17 shows the effect of para-topolin (6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on proteasomal activity.

FIG. 18 represents actin staining patterns after three days of treatment with para-topolin(6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine).

FIG. 19 shows the effect of para-topolin(6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on the morphology of senescent cells after 7 and 14 days.

FIG. 20 shows the numbers of cells after 7 days and 14 days of treatment with para-topolin (6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine).

FIG. 21 shows the effect of ortho-topolin (6-(2-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on cell attachment.

FIG. 22 shows the effect of ortho-topolin (6-(2-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on cell survival after 3 days.

FIG. 23 shows the effect of ortho-topolin(6-(2-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on short term growth.

FIG. 24 represents actin staining patterns after three days of treatment with ortho-topolin (6-(2-hydroxybenzylamino)purine).

FIG. 25 shows the effect of ortho-topolin (6-(2-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on the morphology of senescent cells after 7 and 14 days.

FIG. 26 shows the numbers of cells after 7 days and 14 days of treatment with ortho-topolin (6-(2-hydroxybenzylamino)purine).

FIG. 27 shows the effect of meta-topolin (6-(3-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on cell attachment.

FIG. 28 shows the effect of meta-topolin (6-(3-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on cell survival after 3 days.

FIG. 29 shows the effect of meta-topolin (6-(3-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on short term growth.

FIG. 30 shows the numbers of cells after 7 days and 14 days of treatment with meta-topolin (6-(3-hydroxybenzylamino)purine).

FIG. 31 represents actin staining patterns after three days of treatment with meta-topolin (6-(3-hydroxybenzylamino)purine).

FIG. 32 shows the effect of meta-topolin (6-(3-hydroxybenzylamino)purine) on the morphology of senescent human cells after 7 and 14 days of treatment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An object of this invention is heterocyclic compounds based on N⁶-substituted adenine of the general formula I adenine have formula I

and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein R2 is hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, alkoxy, amino, hydrazo, mercapto, methylmercapto, carboxyl, cyano, nitro, amido, sulfo, sulfamido, acylamino, acyloxy, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkylmercapto, cycloalkyl and carbamoyl group, R6 is alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, arylalkyl, heteroalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl alkyl or R6′-X, wherein X is —O—, —S—, —NH—, —N(C₁₋₆ alkyl)-; R6′ is hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heterocycle, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, arylalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl, substituted cycloheteroalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroalkyl, cycloalkyl alkyl, cycloheteroalkyl, amido and sulfo;

whereas the generic substituent groups have meanings identical with the definitions of the corresponding groups as defined in this legend, wherein

“halogen” refers to fluorine, bromine, chlorine and iodine atoms;

“hydroxy” refers to the group —OH;

“mercapto” refers to group —SH;

“alkyl” refers to branched or unbranched C₁-C₆ chain which is saturated or unsaturated being selected from the groups such as methyl, propyl, isopropyl, tert-butyl, allyl, vinyl, ethinyl, propargyl, hexen-2-yl and the like exemplifying this term;

“substituted alkyl” refers to alkyl as just described including one to five substituents such as hydroxyl, mercapto, alkylmercapto, halogen, alkoxy, acyloxy, amino, acylamino, hydrazino, carbamoyl, amido, carboxyl, sulfo, acyl, guanidino and the like, whereby these groups may be attached to any carbon atom of the alkyl moiety; “alkoxy” denotes the group —OR, where R is alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, arylalkyl, substituted arylalkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl or substituted cycloheteroalkyl as defined herein; “alkylmercapto” denotes the group —SR, where R is as defined for “alkoxy” group; “sulfo” denotes the group —SO₃R, where R is H, alkyl or substituted alkyl as defined herein; “sulfamido” denotes to the group SO₂NRR″ where R and R″ is H, alkyl or substituted alkyl; “acyl” denotes groups —C(O)R, where R is hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, arylalkyl, substituted arylalkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl as defined herein; “aryloxy” denotes groups —OAr, where Ar is an aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl or substituted heteroaryl group as defined herein. “alkylamino” denotes the group —NRR′, where R and R′ may independently be hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl or substituted heteroaryl as defined herein; “amido” denotes the group —C(O)NRR′, where R and R′ may independently be hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl as defined herein; “carboxyl” denotes the group —C(O)OR, where R is hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, hetaryl or substituted hetaryl as defined herein; “acylamino” denotes the group —NHCOR, where R may be alkyl, substituted alkyl, heterocycle, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl and substituted heteroaryl as defined herein; “carbamoylamino” denotes the group NHCOOR, where R is alkyl or aryl; “aryl” or “ar” refers to an aromatic carbocyclic group having at least one aromatic ring as phenyl or biphenyl or multiple condensed rings in which at least one ring is aromatic as 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthyl, naphthyl, anthryl, or phenanthryl; “substituted aryl” refers to aryl as just described which is optionally substituted with one to five functional groups such as halogen, alkyl, hydroxy, amino, acylamino, carbamoylamino, hydrazino, mercapto, alkoxy, alkylmercapto, alkylamino, amido, carboxyl, nitro, sulfo as defined herein; “heterocycle” refers to an unsaturated or aromatic carbocyclic group having at least one hetero atom, such as N, O or S, within the ring; the ring being single such as pyranyl, pyridyl or furyl or multiple condensed such as quinazolinyl, purinyl, quinolinyl or benzofuranyl which can optionally be unsubstituted or substituted with halogen, amino, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, mercapto, alkoxy, alkylamino, acylamino, carbamoylamino, acyloxy, dialkylamino, alkylmercapto, carboxyl, amido, sulfo, sulfamido, and the like as defined; “heteroaryl” refers to a heterocycle in which at least one heterocyclic ring is aromatic; “substituted heteroaryl” refers to a heterocycle optionally mono or poly substituted with one to five functional groups, such as halogen, amino, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, mercapto, alkoxy, alkylamino, acylamino, carbamoylamino, acyloxy, dialkylamino, alkylmercapto, carboxyl, amido, sulfo, sulfamido, and the like as defined; “arylalkyl” refers to the group —R—Ar where Ar is an aryl group and R is alkyl or substituted alkyl group wherein the aryl groups can optionally be unsubstituted or substituted with groups such as halogen, amino, acylamino, carbamoylamino, hydrazino, acyloxy, alkyl, hydroxyl, alkoxy, alkylmercapto, alkylamino, amido, carboxyl, hydroxy, aryl, nitro, mercapto, sulfo and the like as defined herein; “heteroalkyl” refers to the group —R-Het where Het is a heterocycle group and R is an alkyl group, said heteroalkyl groups being optionally unsubstituted or substituted with groups such as halogen, amino, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, mercapto, alkoxy, alkylamino, acylamino, carbamoylamino, acyloxy, dialkylamino, alkylmercapto, carboxyl, amido, sulfo, sulfamido, and the like as defined herein before; “heteroarylalkyl” refers to the group —R-Het-Ar where HetAr is a heteroaryl group and R is alkyl or substituted alkyl whereas the heteroarylalkyl groups can optionally be unsubstituted or substituted with the groups such as halogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkoxy, alkylmercapto, nitro, thiol, sulfo and the like as defined herein before; “cycloalkyl” refers to a divalent cyclic or polycyclic alkyl group containing 3 to 15 carbon atoms; “substituted cycloalkyl” refers to a cycloalkyl group comprising one to five substituents from the group consisting of halogen, amino, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, mercapto, alkoxy, alkylamino, acylamino, carbamoylamino, acyloxy, dialkylamino, alkylmercapto, carboxyl, amido, sulfo, sulfamido, and the like as defined herein before; “cycloheteroalkyl” refers to a cycloalkyl group as defined wherein at least one of the ring methylene group is replaced with a group selected from the groups NH, OH, SH; “substituted cycloheteroalkyl” refers to a cycloheteroalkyl group as herein defined which contains one to five substituents, such as halogen, amino, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, mercapto, alkoxy, alkylamino, acylamino, carbamoylamino, acyloxy, dialkylamino, alkylmercapto, carboxyl, amido, sulfo, sulfamido and the like as defined herein before; “cycloalkyl alkyl” denotes the group —R-cycloalkyl where cycloalkyl is a cycloalkyl group and R is an alkyl or substituted alkyl wherein the cycloalkyl groups can optionally be unsubstituted or substituted with halogen, amino, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, mercapto, alkoxy, alkylamino, acylamino, carbamoylamino, acyloxy, dialkylamino, alkylmercapto, carboxyl, amido, sulfo, sulfamido and the like as defined herein; “cycloheteroalkyl alkyl” denotes the group —R-cycloheteroalkyl where R is an alkyl or substituted alkyl wherein the cycloheteroalkyl groups can optionally be unsubstituted or substituted with halogen, amino, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, mercapto, alkoxy, alkylamino, acylamino, carbamoylamino, acyloxy, dialkylamino, alkylmercapto, carboxyl, amido, sulfo, sulfamido and the like as defined herein before and the racemates, optical isomers and acid salts thereof.

The following derivatives are particularly preferred, namely: 6-(2-hydroxy-3-chloroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-4-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-5-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-6-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-3-iodobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-4-iodobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-5-iodobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-6-iodobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-3-bromobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-4-bromobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-5-bromobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-6-bromobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-3-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-4-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-5-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-6-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3-dihydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,5-dihydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3-dihydroxy-4-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3-dihydroxy-4-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,5-dihydroxy-4-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-4-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-4-bromoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-4-iodobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-3-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-3-bromobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-3-iodobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-3-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-3,5-dichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-3,5-dibromobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-3,5-diiodobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxy-3,5-difluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-bromobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-bromobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-bromobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-iodobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-iodobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-iodobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-acetylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-acetylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-acetylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-karboxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-karboxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-acetoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-acetoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-acetoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-sulfobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-sulfoobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-sulfobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-cyanobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-cyanobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-cyanobenzylamino)purine, 6-(5-nitro-2-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-methylaminobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-hydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-hexylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-hexyloxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-formylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-formylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-formylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-ethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-ethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-ethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-ethylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-penthylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-penthyloxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-fenoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-fenylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-propylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-propyloxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-oktylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-octyloxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-ethyloxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4-diacetoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,5-diacetoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,5-diaminobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,5-dibromobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,5-dibromo-4-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3-dichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4-dichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,5-dichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4-dichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,5-dichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3,4,5-tetrafluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-3,6-difluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(5-chloro-2-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3,4-trifluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3,5-trifluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4,5-trifluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4,5-trifluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3,6-trifluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-2,6-difluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-6-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-difluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4-difluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4-difluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,5-difluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,5-difluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(5-fluoro-2-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(4-fluoro-2-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(2-(difluoromethoxy)benzylamino)purine, 6-(3-(difluoromethoxy)benzylamino)purine, 6-(4-(difluoromethoxy)benzylamino)purine, 6-(2-fluoro-5-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(3-fluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(2-fluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(2-(trifluoromethylthio)benzylamino)purine, 6-(2-fluoro-3-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-6-fluoro-3-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(6-chloro-2-fluoro-3-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-2-fluoro-5-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-2-fluoro-6-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3-difluoro-4-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-difluoro-3-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-fluoro-6-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-2,6-difluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-(trifluoromethylthio)benzylamino)purine, 6-(3-fluoro-4-methyl benzylamino)purine, 6-(4-fluoro-3-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(5-fluoro-2-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-3,6-difluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-(trifluoromethylthio)benzylamino)purine, 6-(3-fluoro-5-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-4-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-(trifluoromethoxy)benzylamino)purine, 6-(3-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(2-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(4-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(4-chloro-3-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(4-fluoro-3-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(3-(trifluoromethoxy)benzylamino)purine, 6-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)benzylamino)purine, 6-(4-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino)purine, 6-(4-diethylaminobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4-dihydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,5-dihydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4-dihydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3-ethylenedioxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4-dihydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,5-dihydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dihydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,5-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,5-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-hydroxy-2-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-hydroxy-6-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4-dimethylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3-dimethylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4-dimethylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dimethylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-dimethyl-4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-fluoro-4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-fluoro-4-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4-dinitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,5-dinitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-methyl-5-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-methyl-4-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4-diiodo-4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-3,4-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-4-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-4-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-6-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-2-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-4-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(5-chloro-2-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-4-fluorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-chloromethylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-5-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-6-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-chloro-3-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(5-chloro-2-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-bromo-4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-bromo-4-methoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-bromomethylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-butoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-butoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-/t-butyl/benzylamino)purine, 6-(4-t-butyl-2,6-dimethylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-aminobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-aminobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-aminobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-amino-6-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-amino-4-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-amino-3-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-amino-4-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-amino-6-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-diamino-3-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,6-diamino-4-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-amino-3-chlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-amino-5-dichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(5-amino-2-methylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-amino-3-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-amino-3-nitrobenzylamino)purine, 6-(4-benzyloxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3-acetylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2-acetylbenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3,4-trimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4,5-trimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4,6-trimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4,6-trimethoxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3,4-trihydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4,6-trihydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3,4-trihydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(3,4,5-trihydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4,6-trihydroxybenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4,5-trichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4,5-trichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,4,6-trichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3,4-trichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3,5-trichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,3,6-trichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-(2,5,6-trichlorobenzylamino)purine, 6-anilinopurine, 6-(2,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purine, 6-(2,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purine, 6-(2,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purine, 6-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purine, 6-(2-bromoanilino)purine, 6-(3-bromoanilino)purine, 6-(4-bromoanilino)purine, 6-(4-bromo-2-chloroanilino)purine, 6-(4-bromo-3-chloroanilino)purine, 6-(2-bromo-6-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purine, 6-(4-bromo-5,6-difluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2-bromo-4,6-difluoroanilino)purine, 6-(4-bromo-2,6-difluoroanilino)purine, 6-(4-bromo-2-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2-bromo-4-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2-bromo-4-methylanilino)purine, 6-(3-bromo-2-methylanilino)purine, 6-(4-bromo-3-methylanilino)purine, 6-(2-bromo-4-(trifluoromethoxy)anilino)purine, 6-(3-bromo-4-(trifluoromethoxy)anilino)purine, 6-(4-bromo-2-(trifluoromethoxy)anilino)purine, 6-(2-bromo-4,5,6-trifluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,4-dibromoanilino)purine, 6-(2,5-dibromoanilino)purine, 6-(2,4-dibromo-3,6-dichloroanilino)purine, 6-(2,6-dibromo-4-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,6-dibromo-4-(trifluoromethoxy)anilino)purine, 6-(2,4-dibromo-6-(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purine, 6-(2,6-dibromo-4-(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purine, 6-(2,3-dichloroanilino)purine, 6-(2,4-dichloroanilino)purine, 6-(2,5-dichloroanilino)purine, 6-(2,6-dichlorooanilino)purine, 6-(3,4-dichloroanilino)purine, 6-(3,5-dichloroanilino)purine, 6-(2,6-dichloro-4-(trifluoromethoxy)anilino)purine, 6-(2,4-dichloro-6-(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purine, 6-(2,6-dichloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purine, 6-(2,3-difluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,4-difluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,5-difluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,6-difluoroanilino)purine, 6-(3,4-difluoroanilino)purine, 6-(3,5-difluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2-difluoromethoxyanilino)purine, 6-(2-difluoromethoxy-5-nitroanilino)purine, 6-(2,3-difluoro-6-nitroanilino)purine, 6-(2,4-difluoro-6-nitroanilino)purine, 6-(2,4-dijodoanilino)purine, 6-(2,3-dimethylanilino)purine, 6-(2,4-dimethylanilino)purine, 6-(2,3-dimethyl-6-nitroanilino)purine, 6-(2,4-dimethoxyanilino)purine, 6-(2,3-dimethoxyanilino)purine, 6-(2,3-dinitro-6-methylanilino)purine, 6-(4-hydroxy-2-methylanilino)purine, 6-(2-chloroanilino)purine, 6-(3-chloroanilino)purine, 6-(4-chloroanilino)purine, (3-chloro-2,6-dibromo-4-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-4-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-5-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-6-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-2-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-4-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(4-chloro-2-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(5-chloro-2-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-methylanilino)purine, 6-(5-chloro-4-fluoro-2-nitroanilino)purine, 6-(5-chloro-2-hydroxyanilino)purine, 6-(4-chloro-2-iodoanilino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-4-iodoanilino)purine, 6-(2-chloro-6-methylanilino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-2-methylanilino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-4-(trifluoromethoxy)anilino)purine, 6-(4-chloro-2-(trifluoromethoxy)anilino)purine, 6-(2-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(3-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(4-fluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2-fluoro-4-iodoanilino)purine, 6-(2-fluoro-5-nitroanilino)purine 6-(2-fluoro-4-methylanilino)purine, 6-(3-fluoro-2-methylanilino)purine, 6-(3-fluoro-4-methylanilino)purine, 6-(4-fluoro-2-methylanilino)purine, 6-(3-fluoro-4-methylanilino)purine, 6-(5-fluoro-2-methylanilino)purine, 6-(4-fluoro-2-nitroanilino)purine, 6-(4-fluoro-3-nitroanilino)purine, 6-(2-jodoanilino)purine, 6-(2-fluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purine, 6-(4-iodo-2-methylanilino)purine, 6-(2-methoxyanilino)purine, 6-(3-methoxyanilino)purine, 6-(4-methoxyanilino)purine, 6-(2-methoxy-5-methylanilino)purine, 6-(2-methoxy-6-methylanilino)purine, 6-(4-methoxy-2-methylanilino)purine, 6-(5-methoxy-2-methylanilino)purin, 6-(4-methoxy-3-(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purin, 6-(2-methylanilino)purine, 6-(4-methylanilino)purine, 6-(3-methylanilino)purine, 6-(2-methyl-3-(trifluoromethoxy)anilino)purine, 6-(2-methyl-4-(trifluoromethoxy)anilino)purine, 6-(2-(methylthio)anilino)purine, 6-(4-(methylthio)anilino)purine, 6-(2-nitroanilino)purine, 6-(3-nitroanilino)purine, 6-(4-nitroanilino)purine, 6-(2-nitro-4,5,6-trifluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2-nitro-4-(trifluoromethoxy)anilino)purine, 6-(2-nitrotetrafluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,4,5,6-pentabromoanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,4,5-tetrachloroanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,5,6-tetrachloroanilino)purine, 6-(4-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy)anilino)purine, 6-(2,3,4,5-tetrafluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,4,6-tetrafluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)anilino)purine, 6-(2,4,6-tribromoanilino)purine, 6-(2,4,6-tribromo-3,5-dijodoanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,4-trichloroanilino)purine, 6-(2,4,5-trichloroanilino)purine, 6-(2,4,6-trichloroanilino)purine, 6-(2,4,5-trifluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,5-trifluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,6-trifluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,4-trifluoroanilino)purine, 6-(2-trifluoromethoxyanilino)purine, 6-(3-trifluoromethoxyanilino)purine, 6-(4-trifluoromethoxyanilino)purine, 6-(2,3,4-trifluoro-6-nitroanilino)purine, 6-(2,4,5-trimethylanilino)purine, 6-(2,4,6-trimethylanilino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-5-aminoanilino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-4-carboxyanilino)purine, 6-(3-amino-4-chloroanilino)purine, 6-(3-chloro-4-aminoanilino)purine, 6-(3-carboxy-4-hydroxyanilino)purine.

The starting material for the preparation of the compounds of the general formula I is 6-chloropurine, synthesised from hypoxantin using POCl₃ according to the literature (Davoll and Blowy, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 73:2936 (1957)) or commercially available (Sigma, Aldrich, Fluka).

Another starting material for the preparation of the compounds of the general formula I is 6-bromopurine, synthesised from hypoxantin using n-pentyl nitrite in tribromomethane, or commercially available.

According to the present invention the new heterocyclic derivatives based on N⁶-substituted adenine having formula I, wherein R2 and R6 are as described herein before, may be prepared from heterocyclic derivative having formula I, wherein R6 represents bromine, chlorine or methylmercapto group and R2 is as described herein before, by a nucleophilic substitution in order to convert chlorine, bromine, or methylmercapto group at R6 position to any other meaning of substituent R6, as described herein before, to obtain the compound having formula I.

A further method according to the present invention is the preparation of the compounds of formula I, characterised in that the heterocyclic derivative having formula I, wherein R2 is hydrogen and R6 represents an amino group, is substituted at the R6 position by the reaction with an aldehyde having the formula R6′-CHO, wherein R6′ is described herein before, in order to convert the amino group at the R6 position to any other meaning of substituent R6, as described herein before, to obtain the compound of formula I.

This invention also concerns heterocyclic compounds based on N⁶-substituted adenine according formula I for use as pharmaceuticals.

This invention further concerns heterocyclic compounds based on N⁶-substituted adenine according to claim 1 of formula I for use as growth regulators of plant, mammal, microorganisms, yeast and fungal cells.

This invention also concerns heterocyclic compounds based on N⁶-substituted adenine according to claim 1 of formula I for use as cosmetics.

The inventors have found that 6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine (also referred to as p-topolin) is particularly suitable for use as cosmetics.

An object of the present invention is pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or growth regulators, which contain compound of the formula I or their pharmaceutically acceptable salt, including a pharmaceutical carrier.

Another object of the present invention is cosmetic compositions containing 6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine.

A further object of this invention is the use of heterocyclic compounds based on N⁶-substituted adenine according to claim 1 of formula I, for preparation of affinity absorption matrices, immobilised enzymes for process control, immunoassay reagents, diagnostic samples, as well as compounds and oligonucleotides, labeled by ¹⁴C, ³H, avidin or biotin.

This invention also concerns method of using a compound of formula I or their pharmaceutically acceptable salt, including a pharmaceutical carrier for preparation of a pharmaceutical composition destined for use as mitotic or antimitotic compound, especially for treating cancer, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, restenosis, polycystic kidney disease, graft rejection, graft versus host disease and gout, parasitoses such as those caused by fungi or protists, or Alzheimer's disease, or as antineurogenerative drugs, or to suppress immunostimulation or for the treatment of proliferative skin diseases.

A further object of the present invention is the use of heterocyclic compounds based on N⁶-substituted adenine according to claim 1 of formula I for use as growth regulators in agriculture, especially for increasing of yield and quality of agricultural products.

This invention also concerns heterocyclic compounds based on N⁶-substituted adenine of formula I for use as cosmetics for inhibiting ageing and senescence of mammalian epidermal cells, such as keratinocytes or fibroblasts.

This invention particularly concerns 6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine for use as cosmetics for inhibiting ageing and senescence of mammalian epidermal cells, such as keratinocytes or fibroblasts. It also concerns a method of inhibiting ageing and senescence of mammalian epidermal cells, particularly keratinocytes or fibroblasts, comprising administering the 6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine to a mammal in need of such treatment.

A further object of this invention is the use of heterocyclic compounds based on N⁶-substituted adenine of formula I as growth regulator in tissue cultures for stimulation of proliferation and morphogenesis.

This invention also concerns heterocyclic compounds based on N⁶-substituted adenine of formula I, for the preparation of a composition and its using for plant and mammalian embryonic cells and embryos (esp. oocytes) cloning.

This invention also concerns heterocyclic compounds based on N⁶-substituted adenine according to claim 1 having formula I, for preparation of a composition and its using for suppressing immunostimulation, e.g., arthritis or in suppression of transplant rejection in mammals.

Therapeutic Administration

Suitable routes for administration include oral, rectal, topical (including dermal, ocular, buccal and sublingual), vaginal and parenteral (including subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravitreous, intravenous, intradermal, intrathecal and epidural). The preferred route of administration will depend upon the condition of the patient, the toxicity of the compound and the site of infection, among other considerations known to the clinician.

The therapeutic composition comprise about 1% to about 95% of the active ingredient, single-dose forms of administration preferably comprising about 20% to about 90% of the active ingredient and administration forms which are not single-dose, preferably, comprising about 5% to about 20% of the active ingredient. Unit dose forms are, for example, coated tablets, tablets, ampoules, vials, suppositories or capsules. Other forms of administration are, for example, ointments, creams, pastes, foams, tinctures, lipsticks, drops, sprays, dispersions and the like. Examples are capsules containing from about 0.05 g to about 1.0 g of the active ingredient.

The pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention are prepared in a manner known per se, for example by means of conventional mixing, granulating, coating, dissolving or lyophilising processes.

Preferably, solutions of the active ingredient, and in addition also suspensions or dispersions, especially isotonic aqueous solutions, dispersions or suspensions, are used, it being possible for these to be prepared before use, for example, in the case of lyophilised compositions which comprise the active substance by itself or together with a carrier, for example mannitol. The pharmaceutical compositions can be sterilised and/or comprise excipients, for example preservatives, stabilisers, wetting agents and/or emulsifiers, solubilizing agents, salts for regulating the osmotic pressure and/or buffers, and they are prepared in a manner known per se, for example by means of conventional dissolving or lyophilising processes. The solutions or suspensions mentioned can comprise viscosity-increasing substances, such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose, dextran, polyvinylpyrrolidone or gelatine.

Suspensions in oil comprise, as the oily component, the vegetable, synthetic or semi-synthetic oils customary for injection purposes. Oils which may be mentioned are, in particular, liquid fatty acid esters which contain, as the acid component, a long-chain fatty acid having 8-22, in particular 12-22, carbon atoms, for example lauric acid, tridecylic acid, myristic acid, pentadecylic acid, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, acid, arachidonic acid, behenic acid or corresponding unsaturated acids, for example oleic acid, elaidic acid, euric acid, brasidic acid or linoleic acid, if appropriate with the addition of antioxidants, for example vitamin E, β-carotene or 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene. The alcohol component of these fatty acid esters has not more than 6 carbon atoms and is mono- or polyhydric, for example mono-, di- or trihydric alcohol, for example methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, or pentanol, or isomers thereof, but in particular glycol and glycerol. Fatty acid esters are therefore, for example: ethyl oleate, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, “Labrafil M 2375” (polyoxyethylene glycerol trioleate from Gattefoseé, Paris), “Labrafil M 1944 CS” (unsaturated polyglycolated glycerides prepared by an alcoholysis of apricot kernel oil and made up of glycerides and polyethylene glycol esters; from Gattefoseé, Paris), “Labrasol” (saturated polyglycolated glycerides prepared by an alcoholysis of TCM and made up of glycerides and polyethylene glycol esters; from Gattefoseé, Paris) and/or “Miglyol 812” (triglyceride of saturated fatty acids of chain length C₈ to C₁₂ from Hüls AG, Germany), and in particular vegetable oils, such as cottonseed oil, almond oil, olive oil, castor oil, sesame oil, soybean oil and, in particular, groundnut oil.

The preparation of the injection compositions is carried out in the customary manner under sterile conditions, as are bottling, for example in ampoules or vials, and closing of the containers.

For example, pharmaceutical compositions for oral use can be obtained by combining the active ingredient with one or more solid carriers, if appropriate granulating the resulting mixture, and, if desired, processing the mixture or granules to tablets or coated tablet cores, if appropriate by addition of additional excipients.

Suitable carriers are, in particular, fillers, such as sugars, for example lactose, sucrose, mannitol or sorbitol, cellulose preparations and/or calcium phosphates, for example tricalcium diphosphate, or calcium hydrogen phosphate, and furthermore binders, such as starches, for example maize, wheat, rice or potato starch, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose and/or polyvinylpyrrolidine, and/or, if desired, desintegrators, such as the above mentioned starches, and furthermore carboxymethyl-starch, cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone, alginic acid or a salt thereof, such as sodium alginate. Additional excipients are, in particular, flow regulators and lubricants, for example salicylic acid, talc, stearic acid or salts thereof, such as magnesium stearate or calcium stearate, and/or polyethylene glycol, or derivatives thereof.

Coated tablet cores can be provided with suitable coatings which, if appropriate, are resistant to gastric juice, the coatings used being, inter alia, concentrated sugar solutions, which, if appropriate, comprise gum arabic, talc, polyvinylpyrrolidine, polyethylene glycol and/or titanium dioxide, coating solutions in suitable organic solvents or solvent mixtures or, for the preparation of coatings which are resistant to gastric juice, solutions of suitable cellulose preparations, such as acetylcellulose phthalate or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate. Dyes or pigments can be admixed to the tablets or coated tablet coatings, for example for identification or characterisation of different doses of active ingredient.

Pharmaceutical compositions, which can be used orally, are also hard capsules of gelatine and soft, closed capsules of gelatine and a plasticiser, such as glycerol or sorbitol. The hard capsules can contain the active ingredient in the form of granules, mixed for example with fillers, such as maize starch, binders and/or lubricants, such as talc or magnesium stearate, and stabilisers if appropriate. In soft capsules, the active ingredient is preferably dissolved or suspended in suitable liquid excipients, such as greasy oils, paraffin oil or liquid polyethylene glycol or fatty acid esters of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, it being likewise possible to add stabilisers and detergents, for example of the polyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester type.

Other oral forms of administration are, for example, syrups prepared in the customary manner, which comprise the active ingredient, for example, in suspended form and in a concentration of about 5% to 20%, preferably about 10% or in a similar concentration which results in a suitable individual dose, for example, when 5 or 10 ml are measured out. Other forms are, for example, also pulverulent or liquid concentrates for preparing of shakes, for example in milk. Such concentrates can also be packed in unit dose quantities.

Pharmaceutical compositions, which can be used rectally, are, for example, suppositories that comprise a combination of the active ingredient with a suppository base. Suitable suppository bases are, for example, naturally occurring or synthetic triglycerides, paraffin hydrocarbons, polyethylene glycols or higher alkanols.

Compositions which are suitable for parenteral administration are aqueous solutions of an active ingredient in water-soluble form, for example of water-soluble salt, or aqueous injection suspensions, which comprise viscosity-increasing substances, for example sodium carboxymethylcellulose, sorbitol and/or dextran, and if appropriate stabilisers. The active ingredient can also be present here in the form of a lyophilisate, if appropriate together with excipients, and be dissolved before parenteral administration by addition of suitable solvents. Solutions such as are used, for example, for parenteral administration can also be used as infusion solutions. Preferred preservatives are, for example antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid, or microbicides, such as sorbic or benzoic acid.

Ointments are oil-in-water emulsions, which comprise not more than 70%, but preferably 20-50% of water or aqueous phase. The fatty phase consists, in particular, hydrocarbons, for example vaseline, paraffin oil or hard paraffins, which preferably comprise suitable hydroxy compounds, such as fatty alcohols or esters thereof, for example cetyl alcohol or wool wax alcohols, such as wool wax, to improve the water-binding capacity. Emulsifiers are corresponding lipophilic substances, such as sorbitan fatty acid esters (Spans), for example sorbitan oleate and/or sorbitan isostearate. Additives to the aqueous phase are, for example, humectants, such as polyalcohols, for example glycerol, propylene glycol, sorbitol and/or polyethylene glycol, or preservatives and odoriferous substances.

Fatty ointments are anhydrous and comprise, as the base, in particular, hydrocarbons, for example paraffin, vaseline or paraffin oil, and furthermore naturally occurring or semi-synthetic fats, for example hydrogenated coconut-fatty acid triglycerides, or, preferably, hydrogenated oils, for example hydrogenated groundnut or castor oil, and furthermore fatty acid partial esters of glycerol, for example glycerol mono- and/or distearate, and for example, the fatty alcohols. They also contain emulsifiers and/or additives mentioned in connection with the ointments which increase uptake of water.

Creams are oil-in-water emulsions, which comprise more than 50% of water. Oily bases used are, in particular, fatty alcohols, for example lauryl, cetyl or stearyl alcohols, fatty acids, for example palmitic or stearic acid, liquid to solid waxes, for example isopropyl myristate, wool wax or beeswax, and/or hydrocarbons, for example vaseline (petrolatum) or paraffin oil. Emulsifiers are surface-active substances with predominantly hydrophilic properties, such as corresponding non-ionic emulsifiers, for example fatty acid esters of polyalcohols or ethyleneoxy adducts thereof, such as polyglyceric acid fatty acid esters or polyethylene sorbitan fatty esters (Tweens), and furthermore polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ethers or polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, or corresponding ionic emulsifiers, such as alkali metal salts of fatty alcohol sulphates, for example sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium cetyl sulphate or sodium stearyl sulphate, which are usually used in the presence of fatty alcohols, for example cetyl stearyl alcohol or stearyl alcohol. Additives to the aqueous phase are, inter alia, agents which prevent the creams from drying out, for example polyalcohols, such as glycerol, sorbitol, propylene glycol and/or polyethylene glycols, and furthermore preservatives and odoriferous substances.

Pastes are creams and ointments having secretion-absorbing powder constituents, such as metal oxides, for example titanium oxide or zinc oxide, and furthermore talc and/or aluminium silicates, which have the task of binding the moisture or secretions present.

Foams are administered from pressurised containers and they are liquid oil-in-water emulsions present in aerosol foam. As the propellant gases halogenated hydrocarbons, such as polyhalogenated alkanes, for example dichlorofluoromethane and dichlorotetrafluoroethane, or, preferably, non-halogenated gaseous hydrocarbons air, N₂O, or carbon dioxide are used. The oily phases used are, inter alia, those mentioned above for ointments and creams, and the additives mentioned there are likewise used.

Tinctures and solutions usually comprise an aqueous-ethanolic base to which, humectants for reducing evaporation, such as polyalcohols, for example glycerol, glycols and/or polyethylene glycol, and re-oiling substances, such as fatty acid esters with lower polyethylene glycols, i.e., lipophilic substances soluble in the aqueous mixture to substitute the fatty substances removed from the skin with ethanol, and, if necessary, other excipients and additives, are admixed.

The present invention further provides veterinary compositions comprising at least one active ingredient as above defined together with a veterinary carrier therefor. Veterinary carriers are materials for administering the composition and may be solid, liquid or gaseous materials, which are inert or acceptable in the veterinary art and are compatible with the active ingredient. These veterinary compositions may be administered orally, parenterally or by any other desired route.

The invention also relates to a process or method for treatment of the disease states mentioned above. The compounds can be administered prophylactically or therapeutically as such or in the form of pharmaceutical compositions, preferably in an amount, which is effective against the diseases mentioned. With a warm-blooded animal, for example a human, requiring such treatment, the compounds are used, in particular, in the form of pharmaceutical composition. A daily dose of about 0.1 to about 5 g, preferably 0.5 g to about 2 g, of a compound of the present invention is administered here for a body weight of about 70 kg.

The following examples serve to illustrate the invention without limiting the scope thereof.

EXAMPLES Example 1 6-(3-chlorobenzylamino) purine

3 mmol of 6-chloropurine were dissolved in 15 ml of butanol. Subsequently, 4 mmol of 3-chlorobenzylamine and 5 mmol triethylamine were added and the mixture was heated at 90° C. for 4 hours. After cooling, the precipitated product was filtered off, washed with cold water and n-butanol and crystallised from ethanol or dimethylformamide. M.p.=252° C., TLC(CHCl₃:MeOH:conc. NH₄OH (8:2:0.2, v/v/v)): single spot; HPLC: purity>98%. Yield 95%.

TABLE 1 Compounds Prepared by the Method of Example 1 CHN analyses calculated/found % ESI-MS R6 Substituent C % H % N [M + H⁺] 2-fluorobenzylamino  59.3/59.05 4.1/3.8 28.8/27.8 244 3-fluorobenzylamino 59.3/59.1 4.1/3.9 28.8/27.7 244 4-fluorobenzylamino 59.3/59.2 4.1/3.9 28.8/27.9 244 2-chlorobenzylamino 55.5/55.7 3.8/4.2 27.0/26.0 260 3-chlorobenzylamino 55.5/55.2 3.8/3.9 27.0/26.2 260 4-chlorobenzylamino 55.5/55.3 3.8/3.8 27.0/26.6 260 2-bromobenzylamino 47.4/47.6 3.3/3.5 23.0/22.5 304 2-bromobenzylamino 47.4/47.1 3.3/3.4 23.0/23.1 304 2-bromobenzylamino 47.4/47.8 3.3/3.4 23.0/22.3 304 3-jodobenzylamino 41.0/41.4 2.8/2.8 20.0/19.5 352 2-methylbenzylamino 65.2/64.9 5.5/5.8 29.3/29.8 240 3-methylbenzylamino 65.2/64.7 5.5/6.0 29.3/29.9 240 4-methylbenzylamino 65.2/65.7 5.5/5.4 29.3/27.5 240 2-methoxylbenzylamino 61.2/61.0 5.1/5.5 27.4/26.6 256 3-methoxylbenzylamino 61.2/61.0 5.1/5.3 27.4/27.5 256 4-methoxylbenzylamino 61.2/60.7 5.1/5.3 27.4/26.7 256 3-nitrobenzylamino 53.3/53.1 3.7/3.6 31.1/30.8 271 4-nitrobenzylamino 53.3/53.0 3.7/3.5 31.1/30.8 271 2,4-dichlorobenzylamino 49.0/49.4 3.1/3.1 23.8/23.1 295 3,4-dichlorobenzylamino 49.0/49.1 3.1/3.2 23.8/23.0 295 2,3-dihydroxybenzylamino 56.2/55.7 3.5/3.2 27.2/27.9 258 2,4-dihydroxybenzylamino 56.2/55.4 3.5/3.4 27.2/27.7 258 3,4-dihydroxybenzylamino 56.2/55.5 3.5/3.4 27.2/27.7 258 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino 57.5/57.2 4.8/4.6 25.8/26.4 272 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino 57.5/57.1 4.8/4.5 25.8/26.6 272 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino 57.5/57.3 4.8/4.7 25.8/26.2 272 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino 57.5/57.0 4.8/4.5 25.8/26.7 272 2,3-dimethoxybenzylamino 58.9/59.3  5.3/5.48 24.5/24.5 286 2,4-dimethoxybenzylamino 58.9/59.3 5.3/4.9 24.5/25.5 286 3,4-dimethoxybenzylamino 58.9/59.7 5.3/5.6 24.5/24.8 286 3,5-methoxybenzylamino 58.9/59.7  5.3/5.32 24.5/24.4 286 2,4,6-trimethoxybenzylamino 57.1/57.3 5.4/5.3 22.2/22.8 316 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzylamino 57.1/57.1 5.4/5.2 22.2/22.5 316 2,4-difluorobenzylamino 55.2/54.5 3.5/3.1 26.8/27.2 262 3,5-difluorobenzylamino 55.2/54.8 3.5/3.3 26.8/27.3 262 2,3,4-trifluorobenzylamino 51.6/51.1 2.9/2.7 25.1/25.5 280 3-chloro-4-fluorobenzylamino 51.9/50.9 3.3/3.4 25.2/25.7 278 2-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino 53.2/52.9 3.4/3.1 23.9/24.5 294 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino 53.2/52.9 3.4/3.2 23.9/24.6 294 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamino 53.2/52.7 3.4/3.1 23.9/24.8 294 Anilino 62.5/62.2 3.3/3.1 33.1/33.8 212 2-fluoroanilino 57.6/57.0 3.5/3.4 30.6/31.1 230 3-fluoroanilino 57.6/57.1 3.5/3.3 30.6/31.5 230 4-fluoroanilino 57.6/57.0 3.5/3.3 30.6/31.5 230 2-chloroanilino 53.8/53.2 3.3/3.2 28.5/29.3 246 3-chloroanilino 53.8/53.1 3.3/3.3 28.5/28.9 246 4-chloroanilino 53.8/53.4 3.3/3.2 28.5/29.3 246 2-bromoanilino 45.5/45.0 2.8/2.7 24.1/24.7 291 3-bromoanilino 45.5/25.0 2.8/2.7 24.1/24.9 291 4-bromoanilino 45.5/44.7 2.8/2.4 24.1/25.1 291 2-jodoanilino 39.2/38.5 2.4/2.1 20.8/21.3 338 2-methoxyanilino 59.7/59.4 4.6/4.6 29.0/29.4 242 3-methoxyanilino 59.7/59.1 4.6/4.5 29.0/29.7 242 4-methoxyanilino 59.7/59.2 4.6/4.5 29.0/29.6 242 2-methylanilino 64.0/63.7 4.9/4.7 31.1/31.8 226 3-methylanilino 64.0/63.7 4.9/4.8 31.1/31.9 226 4-methylanilino 64.0/63.5 4.9/4.7 31.1/32.0 226

Example 2

Mixture of 10 mmol adenine, 12 mmol 2-methoxybenzaldehyde a 5 ml 98-100% formic acid was refluxed for 3 days. After formic acid evaporation, the resulting material was cooled and subsequently washed with 40 ml of diethylether. Solid residue was boiled with 60 ml of water, filtered of and crude product crystallised from ethanol. Yield 45%.

TABLE 2 Compounds Prepared by the Method of Example 2 CHN analyses calculated/found % ESI-MS R6 Substituent C % H % N [M + H⁺] 2-chlorobenzylamino 55.5/54.7 3.8/4.1 27.0/27.6 260 3-chlorobenzylamino 55.5/54.8 3.8/3.9 27.0/27.2 260 4-chlorobenzylamino 55.5/54.5 3.8/4.0 27.0/27.6 260 2-bromobenzylamino 47.4/46.7 3.3/3.5 23.0/23.4 304 2-bromobenzylamino 47.4/46.5 3.3/3.4 23.0/23.3 304 2-methylbenzylamino 65.2/64.8 5.5/5.9 29.3/29.8 240 3-methylbenzylamino 65.2/64.8 5.5/5.7 29.3/30.1 240 4-methylbenzylamino 65.2/64.7 5.5/5.8 29.3/29.9 240 2-methoxylbenzylamino 61.2/60.3 5.1/5.3 27.4/27.9 256 3-methoxylbenzylamino  61.2/61.00 5.1/5.3 27.4/27.9 256 4-methoxylbenzylamino 61.2/60.4 5.1/5.2 27.4/28.3 256 2,4-dichlorobenzylamino 49.0/48.4 3.1/3.0 23.8/24.4 295 3,4-dichlorobenzylamino 49.0/48.6 3.1/3.1 23.8/24.4 295 2,3- 58.9/58.8 5.3/5.4 24.5/24.7 286 dimethoxybenzylamino 2,4- 58.9/58.4 5.3/5.8 24.5/25.5 286 dimethoxybenzylamino 3,4- 58.9/58.5 5.3/5.6 24.5/25.2 286 dimethoxybenzylamino 3,5- 58.9/58.7 5.3/5.4 24.5/25.0 286 dimethoxybenzylamino 2,4,6- 57.1/57.2 5.4/5.4 22.2/22.5 316 trimethoxybenzylamino 3,4,5- 57.1/57.4 5.4/5.5 22.2/22.5 316 trimethoxybenzylamino

Example 3 In Vitro Cytotoxic Activity of Novel Compounds

One of the parameters used, as the basis for cytotoxicity assays, is the metabolic activity of viable cells. For example, a microtiter assay, which uses the Calcein AM, is now widely used to quantitate cell proliferation and cytotoxicity. For instance, this assay is used in drug screening programs and in chemosensitivity testing. Because only metabolically active cells cleave Calcein AM, these assays detect viable cells exclusively. The quantity of reduced Calcein AM corresponds to the number of vital cells in the culture.

Human T-lymphoblastic leukemia cell line CEM; promyelocytic HL-60 and monocytic U937 leukemias; breast carcinoma cell lines MCF-7, BT549, MDA-MB-231; glioblastoma U87MG cells; cervical carcinoma cells HELA; sarcoma cells U2OS and Saos2; hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2; mouse fibroblasts NIH3T3; mouse immortalized bone marrow macrophages B2.4 and B10A.4; P388D1 and L1210 leukemia; B16 and B16F10 melanomas were used for routine screening of compounds. The cells were maintained in Nunc/Corning 80 cm² plastic tissue culture flasks and cultured in cell culture medium (DMEM with 5 g/l glucose, 2 mM glutamine, 100 U/ml penicillin, 100 μg/ml streptomycin, 10% fetal calf serum and sodium bicarbonate).

The cell suspensions that were prepared and diluted according to the particular cell type and the expected target cell density (2.500-30.000 cells per well based on cell growth characteristics) were added by pipette (80 μl) into 96/well microtiter plates. Inoculates were allowed a pre-incubation period of 24 hours at 37° C. and 5% CO₂ for stabilisation. Four-fold dilutions of the intended test concentration were added at time zero in 20 μl aliquots to the microtiter plate wells. Usually, test compound was evaluated at six 4-fold dilutions. In routine testing, the highest well concentration was 266.7 μM, but it can be the matter of change dependent on the agent. All drug concentrations were examined in duplicates. Incubations of cells with the test compounds lasted for 72 hours at 37° C., in 5% CO₂ atmosphere and 100% humidity. At the end of incubation period, the cells were assayed by using the Calcein AM. Ten microliters of the stock solution were pipetted into each well and incubated further for 1 hours. Fluorescence (FD) was measured with the Labsystem FIA Reader Fluoroscan Ascent (UK). The tumour cell survival (GI₅₀) was calculated using the following equitation: TCS═(FD_(drug exposed well)/mean FD_(control wells))×100%. The GI₅₀ value, the drug concentration lethal to 50% of the tumour cells, was calculated from the obtained dose response curves (FIG. 1).

Cytoxicity of novel compounds was tested on panel of cell lines of different histogenetic and species origin (Table 3). We show here that equal activities were found in all tumour cell lines tested, however, the non-malignant cells, e.g. NIH3T3 fibroblasts and normal human lymphocytes, were resistant to synthetic inhibitors induced cytotoxicity. As demonstrated in Table 3, GI₅₀ for NIH3T3 fibroblasts and normal human lymphocytes was always higher than 250 μM. Effective novel derivatives killed tumour cells in concentrations close to 10-50 μM.

TABLE 3 Cytotoxicity of Novel Compounds for Different Cancer Cell Lines Cell line tested/IC 50 (μmol/L) Compound HOS K-562 MCF7 B16-F0 NIH-3T3 G-361 CEM HELA HL60 Kinetin >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 155.1 164.1 IP >166.7 146.9 >166.7 92.2 >166.7 162.2 BAP >166.7 138.9 166.1 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 cis Z >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 acetyl Z >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 MT >166.7 128.4 >166.7 90.6 >166.7 90.1 79.2 140.2 OT >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 150 103.4 69.2 78 67 2F BAP >166.7 136.1 >166.7 27.7 106.4 98 >166.7 70.7 99.5 126.5 2Cl BAP 84.9 101 164.1 16.9 >166.7 56.6 58.4 109.6 100.4 90.4 128.4 3Cl BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 148.6 >166.7 >166.7 3F BAP >166.7 105.2 163.2 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 4F BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 66.4 59.2 3MeO BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 41.5 >166.7 124.7 >166.7 >166.7 76.7 149.5 4MeO BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 84.7 >166.7 166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 118 >166.7 2M BAP >166.7 156.6 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 3I BAP >166.7 94.7 129.9 >166.7 124.6 133.3 4M BAP >166.7 72.8 82.8 160.4 72.1 88 4Cl BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 2MeO BAP >166.7 115.8 153 63.4 >166.7 98.2 3,5diMeO BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 2,4,6triMeO BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 63.6 153.4 105.3 4OH3MeO BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 3NO₂ BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 4NO₂ BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 2OH3MeO BAP >166.7 26.6 69 41.6 64.3 51 67.8 30H4MeO BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 3,4diOH BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 2F BAP >166.7 136.1 108.7 130.6 106.4 135.7 >166.7 70.7 128.5 >166.7 98.9 3Me BAP >166.7 102.5 164.1 >166.7 >166.7 3Cl4F BAP >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 135 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 95.8 >166.7 2,3,4triF BAP >166.7 >166.7 32 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 67 >166.7 2,4diFBAP >166.7 >166.7 139.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 145.8 >166.7 Zeatin >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 Adenine >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7 >166.7

Example 4 Novel Compounds Induce Apoptosis in Tumour Cells

To analyse the mechanisms of induced cytotoxicity by the novel compounds, it is important to distinguish apoptosis from the other major form of cell death, necrosis. First, at the tissue level, apoptosis produces little or no inflammation, since the neighbouring cells, especially macrophages, rather than being released into the extracellular fluid, engulf shrunken portions of the cell. In contrast, in necrosis, cellular contents are released into the extracellular fluid, and thus have an irritant affect on the nearby cells, causing inflammation. Second, at the cellular level, apoptotic cells exhibit shrinkage and blebbing of the cytoplasm, preservation of structure of cellular organelles including the mitochondria, condensation and margination of chromatin, fragmentation of nuclei, and formation of apoptotic bodies, thought not all of these are seen in all cell types. Third, at the molecular level, a number of biochemical processes take an important role in induction of apoptosis. However, majority of them is not well understood, and they result in activation of proteases and nucleases, which finally destruct key biological macromolecules—proteins and DNA.

For detection of apoptotic versus necrotic mode of cell death, two independent methods were employed: assessment of morphology by electron microscopy and analysis of DNA fragmentation by flow-cytometry.

HL-60 cell line was cultured in 6-well culture plates with or without 70 μM concentration of novel derivatives at 37° C. and 5% CO₂ for 3-24 hours. Following the incubation, cells were pelleted, washed in Hank's buffered salt solution and processed as described below.

Cells were suspended in 2% glutaraldehyde/PBS, fixed overnight at 4° C., pelleted and embedded into 1% agar (Agar Noble, Difco) thereafter. Agar blocks containing fixed cells were epoxyde polymerised, ultrathin sectioned, osmium tetraoxyde postfixed, uranium acetate contrasted and examined under electron microscope.

Initial phase contrast microscopy examinations indicated that the treated HL-60 line exhibit typical morphological features of apoptotic cells, and it was later confirmed by electron microscopy (FIGS. 2 and 3). Typical morphological criteria of apoptosis were identified in cells treated with all novel derivatives tested: chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation, cytoplasmatic blebbing, and formation of apoptotic bodies.

Example 5 Immunosuppressive Activity

One of the most important parameters of specific cellular immunity is proliferative response of lymphocytes to antigens or polyclonal mitogens. The majority of normal mammalian peripheral lymphocytes comprise resting cells. Antigens or nonspecific polyclonal mitogens have the capacity to activate lymphoid cells and this is accompanied by dramatic changes of intracellular metabolism (mitochondrial activity, protein synthesis, nucleic acids synthesis, formation of blastic cells and cellular proliferation). Compounds with ability to selectively inhibit lymphocyte proliferation are potent immunosuppressants. Variety of in vitro assays was developed to measure proliferative response of lymphocytes. The most commonly used is ³H-thymidine incorporation method.

During cell proliferation, DNA has to be replicated before the cell is divided into two daughter cells. This close association between cell doublings and DNA synthesis is very attractive for assessing cell proliferation. If labelled DNA precursors are added to the cell culture, cells that are about to divide incorporate the labelled nucleotide into their DNA. Traditionally, those assays usually involve the use of radiolabelled nucleosides, particularly tritiated thymidine ([³H]-TdR). The amount of [³H]-TdR incorporated into the cellular DNA is quantified by liquid scintillation counting.

Human heparinized peripheral blood was obtained from healthy volunteers by cubital vein punction. The blood was diluted in PBS (1:3) and mononuclear cells were separated by centrifugation in Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient (Pharmacia, 1.077 g/ml) at 2200 rpm for 30 minutes. Following centrifugation, lymphocytes were washed in PBS and resuspended in cell culture medium (RMPI 1640, 2 mM glutamine, 100 U/ml penicillin, 100 μg/ml streptomycin, 10% fetal calf serum and sodium bicarbonate).

The cells were diluted at target density of 1,100,000 cells/ml were added by pipette (180 μl) into 96/well microtiter plates. Four-fold dilutions of the intended test concentration were added at time zero in 20 μl aliquots to the microtiter plate wells. Usually, test compound was evaluated at six 4-fold dilutions. In routine testing, the highest well concentration was 266.7 μM. All drug concentrations were examined in duplicates. All wells with exception of unstimulated controls were activated with 50 μl of concanavalin A (25 μg/ml). Incubations of cells with test compounds lasted for 72 hours at 37° C., in 5% CO₂ atmosphere and 100% humidity. At the end of incubation period, the cells were assayed by using the [³H]-TdR:

Cell cultures were incubated with 0.5 μCi (20 μl of stock solution 500 μCi/ml) per well for 6 hours at 37° C. and 5% CO₂. The automated cell harvester was used to lyse cells in water and adsorb the DNA onto glass-fiber filters in the format of microtiter plate. The DNA incorporated [³H]-TdR was retained on the filter while unincorporated material passes through. The filters were dried at room temperature overnight, sealed into a sample bag with 10-12 ml of scintillant. The amount of [³H]-TdR present in each filter (in cpm) was determined by scintillation counting in a Betaplate liquid scintillation counter. The effective dose of immunosuppressant (ED) was calculated using the following equation: ED=(CCPM_(drug exposed well)/mean CCPM_(control wells))×100%. The ED₅₀ value, the drug concentration inhibiting proliferation of 50% of lymphocytes, was calculated from the obtained dose response curves.

To evaluate immunosuppressive activity of substituted adenines, their ability to inhibit polyclonal mitogen induced proliferation of normal human lymphocytes was analyzed (Tab. 13). Our data demonstrate that these compounds have only marginal activity on ³H-thymidine incorporation, nonetheless, they efficiently inhibit proliferation of activated lymphocytes. Effective immunosuppressive dose of new derivatives under in vitro conditions was close to 1-20 μM.

TABLE 4 Immunosupressive activity of novel derivatives SUBSTITUENT Human lymphocytes R6 ED₅₀ (μM) 3-chloroanilino 4.7 3-chloro-5-aminoanilino 12.4 2-hydroxybenzylamino 0.5 3-carboxy-4-chloroanilino 2.1 3-hydroxybenzylamino 5.6 4-bromoanilino 4.7 4-chloroanilino 6.2 3-amino-4-chloroanilino 8.3 3-chloro-4-aminoanilino 12 2-hydroxybenzylamino 11.5 3-hydroxybenzylamino 8.4 3-fluorobenzylamino 18.2 3-carboxy-4-chloroanilino 0.5 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino 1.8 3-chloroanilino 7.2 2-fluorobenzylamino 2.5 2,3-difluorobenzylamino 10.7

Example 6 Inhibition of Senescence by Novel Compounds

In this example, human diploid fibroblasts (HCA cells of various passage levels: passage 25—designated HCA25; passage 45—designated HCA45; passage 80—designated HCA80) were stained for β-galactosidase activity. The medium used for cell cultivation was removed, the cells were washed twice in PNS, and fixed in 2-3 ml of fixing solution comprised of a 2% formaldehyde and 0.2% glutaraldehyde in PBS. The cells were incubated at room temperature for 5 minutes, then washed twice with PBS. The cells were subsequently incubated at 37° C. (without CO₂) for 1 to 16 hours in 2-3 ml of a solution comprising potassium ferricyanide (5 mM), potassium ferrocyanide (5 mM), MgCl₂ (2 mM), X-gal (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-β-D-galactopyranoside) (1 mg/ml), in citric/phosphate buffer, pH 6.0). Following this incubation period, the cell samples were observed in order to detect the presence of blue cells, indicating that X-gal had been cleaved (positively senescent cells). In this experiment, senescent cells, but not other cells were stained blue due to the action of β-galactosidase on the substrate (FIG. 4).

TABLE 5 The Effect of Novel Compound on Number of Senescent Cells in Culture of Human Fibroblasts SUBSTITUENT SENESCENT CELLS (%) R6 HCA25 HCA45 HCA80 CONTROL 3 5 38 3-chloroanilino 4 5 25 3,4-dihydroxybenzylamino 5 4 29 Anilino 3 4 27 3-chloro-5-aminoanilino 3 6 24 3-chloro-4-carboxyanilino 5 2 25 3-carboxy-4-chloroanilino 3 5 20 3-carboxy-4-hydroxyanilino 4 2 26 4-bromoanilino 5 3 25 4-chloroanilino 5 5 26 3-amino-4-chloroanilino 4 6 22 3-chloro-4-aminoanilino 5 5 24 2-fluorobenzylamino 4 3 16 3-fluorobenzylamino 3 3 15 2-hydroxybenzylamino 3 4 17 3-hydroxybenzylamino 5 3 22 2-acetoxybenzylamino 6 5 32 3-acetoxybenzylamino 4 6 27 2-acetylbenzylamino 3 4 25 3-acetylbenzylamino 5 5 28 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamino 4 3 20 2-hydroxy-3-methylbenzylamino 5 2 18 2-hydroxy-3-chlorobenzylamino 4 3 14 2,6-dihydroxy-4-chlorobenzylamino 3 3 16 2,3-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino 3 4 17 2,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino 5 3 22 2,6-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzylamino 4 3 13 2,3-dihydroxy-4-chlorobenzylamino 3 3 14 2,5-dihydroxy-4-chlorobenzylamino 5 4 23 2-amino-6-chlorobenzylamine 3 4 16 3-amino-4-chlorobenzylamine 5 5 22 2,3-diamino-4-chlorobenzylamine 4 3 17

As shown in Table 5 with increasing numbers of passages, the staining became darker. For the oldest cells, there were only blue cells ranging from a bright blue to an almost opaque colour. N⁶-substituted adenine derivatives were very effective in retaining much lower level of senescent cells after 80 passages. In the case of long standing cultivation the treated cells were able to live 30% longer period than the control cells.

Example 7 Senescence Inhibition by Novel Compounds Tested on Winter Wheat Leaf Segments

Seeds of winter wheat, Triticum aestivum cv. Hereward, were washed under running water for 24 hours and then sown on vermiculite soaked with Knop's solution. They were placed in the grown chamber at 25° C. with a 16/8 h light period at 50 μmol.m⁻².s⁻¹. After 7 days, the first leaf was fully developed and the second leaf had started to grow. A tip section of the first leaf, approximately 35 mm long, was removed from 5 seedlings and trimmed slightly to a combined weight of 100 mg. The basal ends of the five leaf tips were placed in the wells of a microtiter polystyrene plate containing 150 μl of a cytokinin solution each. The entire plate was inserted into a plastic box lined with paper tissues soaked in distilled water to prevent leaf sections from drying out. After a 96 h incubation in the dark at 25° C., the leaves were removed and chlorophyll extracted by heating at 80° C. for 10 min in 5 ml of 80% ethanol (v/v). The sample volume was then restored to 5 ml by the addition of 80% ethanol (v/v). The absorbency of the extract was recorded at 665 nm. In addition, chlorophyll extracts from fresh leaves and leaf tips incubated in deionised water were measured. From the obtained data, the concentration with highest activity was selected for each compound tested. Relative activity of the compound at this concentration was calculated (Tab. 6). The activity obtained for 10⁻⁴ M 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) was postulated as 100%. The values shown are means of five replicates and the whole experiment was repeated twice. The cytokinins to be tested were dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and the solution brought up to 10⁻³M with distilled water. This stock was further diluted in distilled water to concentrations ranging from 10⁻⁸M to 10⁻⁴M. The final concentration of DMSO did not exceed 0.2% and therefore did not affect biological activity in the assay system used.

TABLE 6 Effect of New Cytokinin Derivatives on Retention of Chlorophyll in Excised Wheat Leaf Tips (Standard deviations are of the mean for 10 replicate determination) concentration with highest activity Activity (%) [10⁻⁴ Tested compound (mol · l⁻¹) mol · l⁻¹ BAP = 100%] 1. 6-(2-fluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   169 (±20) 2. 6-(3-fluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   200 (±25) 3. 6-(4-fluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  95.5 (±3.5) 4. 6-(2-chlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴ 116.5 (±6.5) 5. 6-(3-chlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   82 (±2) 6. 6-(4-chlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  64.5 (±13.5) 7. 6-(2-bromobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   52 (±14) 8. 6-(3-bromobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   48 (±6) 9. 6-(4-bromobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵   30 (±15) 10. 6-(3-iodobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  83.5 (±23) 11. 6-(2-methylbenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   158 (±29) 12. 6-(3-methylbenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   111 (±16) 13. 6-(4-methylbenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   35 (±23) 14. 6-(2-methoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   269 (±12) 15. 6-(3-methoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   178 (±16) 16. 6-(4-methoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   79 (±6) 17. 6-(3-nitrobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   60 (±15) 18. 6-(4-nitrobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   83 (±8) 19. 6-(2,4-dichlorbenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵ 0 20. 6-(3,4-dichlorbenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   117 (±22) 21. 6-(2,3-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   109 (±5) 22. 6-(2,4-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁷   26 (±11) 23. 6-(3,4-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   43 (±17) 24. 6-(3,5-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴   16 (±1) 25. 2-amino-6-(3- 10⁻⁴   121 (±7) hydroxybenzylamino)purine 26. 2-chlor-6-(3- 10⁻⁴   140 (±13) hydroxybenzylamino)purine 27. 2-methylthio-6-(3- 10⁻⁴  50.5 (±23.5) hydroxybenzylamino)purine 28. 6-(2,4,6- 10⁻⁴    6 (±4) trimethoxybenzylamino)purine 29. 6-(3,4,5- 10⁻⁴   25 (±2) trimethoxybenzylamino)purine 30. 6-(2,4-difluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵   139 (±2) 31. 6-(3,5-difluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵   156 (±4) 32. 6-(2,3,4-trifluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵   131 (±22) 33. 6-(3-chloro-4- 10⁻⁵   141 (±20) fluorobenzylamino)purine 33. 6-(2-hydroxy-3- 10⁻⁵   34 (±5) methoxybenzylamino)purine

Example 8 Stimulation Effect of the New Compounds on Plant Cell Division

Cytokinin-dependent tobacco callus Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Wisconsin 38 was maintained at 25° C. in darkness on modified Murashige-Skoog medium, containing per 1 liter: 4 μmol nicotinic acid, 2.4 μmol pyridoxine hydrochloride, 1.2 μmol thiamine, 26.6 μmol glycine, 1.37 μmol glutamine, 1.8 μmol myo-inositol, 30 g of sucrose, 8 g of agar, 5.37 μmol α-naphtylacetic acid (NAA) and 0.5 μmol benzylaminopurine (BAP). Subcultivation was carried out every three weeks. Fourteen days before the bioassay, the callus tissue was transferred to the media without 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Biological activity was determined from the increase in fresh callus weight after four weeks of cultivation. Five replicates were prepared for each cytokinin concentration and the entire test was repeated twice. From the obtained data, the concentration with highest activity was selected for each compound tested. Relative activity of the compound at this concentration was calculated (Tab. 6). The activity obtained for 10⁻⁴ M 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) was postulated as 100%. The cytokinins to be tested were dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and the solution brought up to 10⁻³M with distilled water. This stock was further diluted in the respective media used for the biotest to concentrations ranging from 10⁻⁸M to 10⁻⁴M. The final concentration of DMSO did not exceed 0.2% and therefore did not affect biological activity in the assay system used.

TABLE 7 The Effect of New Cytokinin Derivatives on Growth of Cytokinin-dependent Tobacco callus Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Wisconsins 38 Concentration with highest activity activity (%) [10⁻⁴ Tested compound (mol · l⁻¹) mol · l⁻¹ BAP = 100%] 1. 6-(2-fluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁶ 111 (±21) 2. 6-(3-fluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵ 135 (±8) 3. 6-(4-fluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁶ 122 (±12) 4. 6-(2-chlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁶  93 (±4) 5. 6-(3-chlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  94 (±6) 6. 6-(4-chlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁶  64 (±8) 7. 6-(2-bromobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵ 102 (±5) 8. 6-(3-bromobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁶  85 (±11) 9. 6-(4-bromobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁶  15 (±9) 10. 6-(3-iodobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  76 (±8) 11. 6-(2-methylbenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁶ 118 (±3) 12. 6-(3-methylbenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁶  79 (±5) 13. 6-(4-methylbenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁶  52 (±8) 14. 6-(2-methoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  79 (±5) 15. 6-(3-methoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁶  76 (±20) 16. 6-(4-methoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁶  39 (±17) 17. 6-(2,4-dichlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  11 (±3) 18. 6-(3,4-dichlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  45 (±7) 19. 6-(2,3-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  8.5 (±2) 20. 6-(2,4-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  21 (±5) 21. 6-(2,4,6-trimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  13 (±6) 22. 6-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  19 (±3) 23. 6-(3,4-dihydroxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  4 (±1) 24. 6-(2,4-difluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  95 (±1) 25. 6-(3,5-difluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  97 (±3) 26. 6-(2,3,4-trifluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  76 (±4) 27. 6-(3-chloro-4- 10⁻⁵  90 (±1) fluorobenzylamino)purine

Example 9 Testing of Novel Compounds in Amaranthus Bioassay

Standard Amaranthus bioassay was performed with several modifications. The seeds of Amaranthus caudatus var. atropurpurea were surface-sterilised in 10% N-chlorobenzenesulfonamide (w/v) for 10 min and washed 5 times in deionized water. They were placed in 14 cm Petri dishes containing paper tissues saturated with deionized water. After 72 h of cultivation at 25° C. in darkness, the roots of the seedlings were cut off. The explants, consisting of two cotyledons and hypocotyls, were placed in 5 cm Petri dishes on two layers of filter paper soaked in 1 ml of incubation medium containing 10 μmol NA₂HPO₄—KH₂PO₄, pH 6.8, 5 μmol tyrosine and the cytokinin to be tested. There were 20 explants per dish. The procedure was carried out under a green safe light in a darkroom. After a 48 h of incubation at 25° C. in darkness, betacyanin was extracted by freezing the explants in 4 ml 3.33 μM acetic acid. The concentration of betacyanin was determined by comparing the absorbance at 537 nm and 620 nm as follows: ΔA=A_(537 nm)−A_(620 nm). From the obtained data, the concentration with highest activity was selected for each compound tested. Relative activity of the compound at this concentration was calculated (Tab. 6). The activity obtained for 10⁻⁴ M 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) was postulated as 100%. The values shown in table 8 are means of five replicates and the entire test was repeated twice.

The cytokinins to be tested were dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and the solution brought up to 10⁻³M with distilled water. This stock was further diluted in the respective media used for the biotest to concentrations ranging from 10⁻⁸M to 10⁻⁴M. The final concentration of DMSO did not exceed 0.2% and therefore did not affect biological activity in the assay system used.

TABLE 8 The Effect of New Cytokinin Derivatives on Betacyanin Content in Amaranthus caudatus cotyledon/hypocotyl Explants Concentration with highest Activity activity (%) [10⁻⁵ Compound (mol · l⁻¹) mol · l⁻¹ BAP = 100%] 1. 6-(2-fluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴ 116 (±3) 2. 6-(3-fluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴ 140 (±5) 3. 6-(4-fluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  44 (±4) 4. 6-(2-chlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵ 109 (±8) 5. 6-(3-chlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  96 (±5) 6. 6-(4-chlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  35 (±7) 7. 6-(2-bromobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  94 (±6) 8. 6-(3-bromobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  71 (±5) 9. 6-(4-bromobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  17 (±7) 10. 6-(3-iodobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  79 (±3) 11. 6-(2-methylbenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  98 (±22) 12. 6-(3-methylbenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  84 (±14) 13. 6-(4-methylbenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  26 (±10) 14. 6-(2-methoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  77 (±5) 15. 6-(3-methoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  90 (±16) 16. 6-(4-methoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  23 (±2) 17. 6-(3-nitrobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  66 (±7) 18. 6-(4-nitrobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  25 (±2) 19. 6-(2,4-dichlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  19 (±8) 20. 6-(3,4-dichlorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  63 (±10) 21. 6-(2,3-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  22 (±3) 22. 6-(2,4-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁵  12 (±2) 23. 6-(3,4-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  27 (±6) 24. 6-(3,5-dimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  1.5 (±1) 25. 6-(2,4,6-trimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  3 (±3) 26. 6-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  2 (±2) 27. 6-(3,4-dihydroxybenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  8 (±3) 28. 6-(2,4-difluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  88 (±7) 29. 6-(3,5-difluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴ 108 (±2) 30. 6-(2,3,4-trifluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  94 (±3) 31. 6-(3-chloro-4-fluorobenzylamino)purine 10⁻⁴  91 (±7) 32. 6-(2-hydroxy-3- 10⁻⁴  19 (±3) methoxybenzylamino)purine 33. 6-(3-hydroxy-4- 10⁻⁴  24 (±1) methoxybenzylamino)purine 34. 6-(4-hydroxy-3- 10⁻⁴  10 (±2) methoxybenzylamino)purine

Example 10 The Effect of New Derivatives on In Vitro and Post Vitro Multiplication and Rooting of Rose (Rosa multiflora)

The aim of this experiment was to test whether the new compounds are of practical use in tissue culture practice. The multiplication rate was investigated and the post vitro effects on rooting were examined. Rosa hybrida (pot rose cultivar) was cultured in 350 ml vessels with a screw on polycarbonate lid. Each culture vessel contained 100 ml autoclaved medium (120° C., 20 min). The cultures were maintained at 23±2° C. under a 16 h photoperiod at 40 μM m⁻² s⁻¹ PAR. The basal medium (BMR) contained Murashige and Skoog (1962) macroelements, microelements and vitamins, 95 μM NaFeEDTA, 555 μM myo-inositol, 111 mM sucrose, 1.332 mM glycine, 684 μM L-glutamine and 7 g/l agar. This medium was supplemented with 10 μM BA, mT, oMeOBAP or mMeOBAP (compound no. 14 and 15, respectively). The control medium didn't contain any cytokinin. After a culture period of 8 weeks, the number of induced shoots per explant was determined, as well as root number/explant and total root length/explant. The roots were removed and the explants (shoot clusters) were planted in unfertilised peat. After four weeks of acclimatising in a fog unit, root number and root length was determined.

As expected, a cytokinin free medium yielded almost no new shoots. The original shoot explant grew out as a good quality single shoot that rooted very well. BAP gave a high shoot multiplication rate, but the shoots rooted badly. The new BAP derivatives tested, induced formation of new shoots and rooting significantly better, when compared with BAP itself (Tab. 9).

TABLE 9 Effects of Cytokinins on in vitro and post vitro Shoot Multiplication and Rooting in Rosa multiflora In vitro Ex vitro Number of Total root Total root new shoots Flower number Root number length per Root number length per Cytokinin per explant per explant per explant explant (cm) per plant plant (cm) 0 0.2 0.03 0.8 1.2 4.6 17.1 BA* 3.8 0.00 0.0 0.0 0.6 1.1 MOHBAP 2.1 0.16 0.0 0.0 1.4 3.8 OmeOBAP 1.0 0.29 0.0 0.0 2.5 8.5 MmeOBAP 4.3 0.03 0.0 0.0 1.7 4.1 *BA = benzylamino

Example 11 Early Shoot Senescence Inhibition of Tissue Cultured Roses (Rosa hybrida)

Tissue cultured roses suffer from senescence symptoms. The leaves start to turn brown and after some weeks all explants in a vessel die off. The symptoms start earlier when the aeration of the vessel is inhibited, for instance by a plastic foil. This suggests that ethylene our other gaseous components are involved. The cytokinins which are applied to the medium, induce ethylene, so it looked worthwhile to test the promising new cytokinin compounds on this system.

Rosa hybrida ‘Pailin’ (a cut rose) was cultured in 350 ml vessels with a screw on polycarbonate lid. Each culture vessel contained 100 ml autoclaved medium (120° C., 20 min). The cultures were maintained at 23±2° C. under a 16 h photoperiod at 40 μM m⁻² s⁻¹ PAR. The basal medium (BMR) contained Murashige and Skoog (1962) macroelements, microelements and vitamins, 36.7 mg/l NaFeEDTA, 50 mg/l NaFeEDDHA, 100 mg/l μM myo-inositol, 30 g/l sucrose, 100 mg/l glycine, 50 mg/l calcium pantothenate, 100 mg/l L-glutamine and 7 g/l agar-agar. This medium was supplemented with 10 μM BA, mT and mMeOBAP. The last 2 cytokinins were filter sterilised and added after autoclaving the medium in the vessels. The control medium didn't contain any cytokinin. After a culture period of 6 weeks, scoring senescence symptoms was started. The day on which the first brown leaf appeared was noted for each plant (FIG. 8), as well as the day of complete dying of the whole explant (FIG. 9, 10).

On medium with BA, the relative number of dead plants looks like a sigmoid curve, suggesting an autocatalytic senescence effect, maybe caused by ethylene. It would be interesting to measure the ethylene concentration in the headspace. On mT and mMeOBAP the situation improved. mMeOBAP was definitely the best compound. Even after 121 days almost all plants were still alive. Although some brown leaves could not be avoided on a medium with mMeOBAP, these plants could be easily used for a next subculture. The use of mMeOBAP is a significant improvement in the micropropagation of roses (Rosa hybrida).

Example 12 Dry Capsules

5000 capsules, each of which contains 0.25 g of one of the compounds of the formula I, II and III mentioned in the preceding or following examples as active ingredient, are prepared as follows:

Composition Active ingredient 1250 g  Talc 180 g Wheat starch 120 g Magnesium stearate  80 g Lactose  20 g Preparation process: The powdered substances mentioned are pressed through a sieve of mesh width 0.6 mm. Portions of 0.33 g of the mixture are transferred to gelatine capsules with the aid of a capsule-filling machine.

Example 13 Soft Capsules

5000 soft gelatine capsules, each of which contains 0.05 g of one of the compounds of the formula I, II and III mentioned in the preceding or following examples as active ingredient, are prepared as follows:

Composition Active ingredient 250 g Lauroglycol 2 liters Preparation process: The powdered active ingredient is suspended in Lauroglykol® (propylene glycol laurate, Gattefossé S. A., Saint Priest, France) and ground in a wet-pulveriser to a particle size of about 1 to 3 μm. Portions of in each case 0.419 g of the mixture are then transferred to soft gelatine capsules by means of a capsule-filling machine.

Example 14 Soft Capsules

5000 soft gelatine capsules, each of which contain 0.05 g of one of the compounds of the formula I, II or III mentioned in the preceding or following examples as active ingredient, are prepared as follows:

Composition Active ingredient 250 g PEG 400 1 liter Tween 80 1 liter Preparation process: The powdered active ingredient is suspended in PEG 400 (polyethylene glycol of Mw between 380 and about 420, Sigma, Fluka, Aldrich, USA) and Tween® 80 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, Atlas Chem. Inc., Inc., USA, supplied by Sigma, Fluka, Aldrich, USA) and ground in a wet-pulveriser to a particle size of about 1 to 3 mm. Portions of in each case 0.43 g of the mixture are then transferred to soft gelatine capsules by means of a capsule-filling machine.

Example 15 Results of Testing of 6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine (p-topolin) for Cosmetic Use and its Comparision with its Isomers, 6-(2-hydroxybenzylamino)purine (o-topolin) and 6-(3-hydroxybenzylamino)purine (m-topolin)

Materials and Methods:

Test Solution Preparation:

These compounds were handled exactly the same way as done previously for kinetin and zeatin. Briefly, stock solutions of 8 mM for the three compounds were prepared by dissolving about 30 mg per ml 1N-HCl, followed by its appropriate dilution by addition of Hank's buffer. The stock solution was filter sterilized, stored in fridge at 4° C., and was used for experiments by dilution it in the cell culture medium as required.

Cell Culture:

All experiments were performed on early and mid passage cultures (about 20 to 40% lifespan completed) of normal human adult skin fibroblast line; designated ASF-2 & Senetek cell line (about 10-90% lifespan completed); designated as SF20. In order to check the effects of test compounds on senescent cells, late passage cells with more than 95% lifespan completed were used. ASF-2 and SF20 cell lines were established from a mammary skin biopsy obtained from a young, non-smoking and healthy female at the time of breast reduction operation. Normal culture conditions of medium (DMEM) containing antibiotics, 10% foetal calf serum, and incubation at 37° C. with 95% humidity were used. The effects of the test chemicals were determined in the following conditions:

Growth Characteristics:

Short-term growth experiments were performed using 24-well tissue culture plates (growth area 1.9 cm²). Freshly prepared cell suspensions from mass cultures of ASF-2 cells maintained in our labs were used. About 10,000 cells were seeded into 6 sets of 24-well plates. The cells were allowed to attach and stabilize for 24 hr in normal culture medium to achieve various final concentrations (range 40 to 500 μM). Culture medium was changed with the addition of test chemicals twice a week. The numbers of cells were counted after different days of treatment in 2 wells from each concentration of the test chemical, by following the normal method of cell trypsinization and counting using a Coultercounter. The third well in each category was fixed by cold methanol and stained with Giemsa stain for permanent record and for photography. The experiment was carried on for until the cultures became fully confluent and no further growth was possible.

Cell Survival, Toxicity and JC-1 Staining:

Cell survival after exposure to various doses was measured with the 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. About 5,000 cells were seeded per well in a 96-well plate 24 h before the experiment. Cells were then treated with various doses of the compound to be tested. The wells were washed in Hank's and new medium was added. After three days, MTT (Sigma, M2128) was added at 0.5 mg/ml in medium. After 4 h, MTT was removed and isopropanol and HCl were added to dissolve the MTT crystals for 12-16 h. The absorbance at 595 nm was measured.

Lysosomal Activity:

Neutral Red is preferentially taken up into the lysosomes of the cell. Fibroblast cells are maintained in culture and exposed to test compounds over a range of concentrations. The cultures are visually examined after 72 hours, and the number of viable cells and/or the total cell protein content determined, after 72 hours exposure, by the Neutral Red Uptake method. Advantage of Neutral Red assay is that it detects only viable cells. Any chemical having a localized effect upon the lysosomes will, therefore, result in an artificially low (or possibly high) reflection of cell viability and cell number. This factor does, however, make the system useful to detect those compounds which selectively affect the lysosomes, especially when it is used in conjunction with other tests capable of determining cell number.

The NR assay has been applied to evaluation and ranking the cytotoxicity of a spectrum of compounds. Individual wells of a 96-well tissue culture microtiter plate were inoculated with 0.2 ml of the appropriate media containing cells (usually 3×10³ cells). After 1 to 2 days of incubation, the media were removed and replaced with unamended (control) medium or with medium amended with varied concentrations of the compound to be tested. After 3 days of exposure to the compound, media were removed and replaced with media containing 0.001% NR. The assay plate was then returned to the incubator for another 3 h to allow for uptake of the supravital dye into the lysosomes of viable cells. Thereafter, the media were removed and the cells were rapidly washed with 0.5% formaldehyde-1% CaCl₂ followed by 0.2 ml of a solution of 1% acetic acid-50% ethanol to extract the dye from the cells. After 10 min at room temperature and a brief but rapid agitation on a microtiter plate shaker, the plates were transferred to a microplate spectrophotometer equipped with a 540-nm filter to measure the absorbance of the extracted dye.

The toxicities of the various compounds were compared with those of the control cultures by computing the data obtained.

Actin staining: The pattern of cytoskeletal actin staining was studied by staining the cells with florescent ligand FITC-labelled Phalloidin, using a fluorescence microscope

Proteasomal Activity:

Chymotrypsin-like activity in cell extracts prepared from treated and untreated cells was determined by in vitro degradation of oligopeptides by the proteasome.

Results for para-topolin 6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine

Cell-Attachment

Percent of cells attached to the surface of the culture flask was not affected to any significant extent after six hours of treatment with 40 μM to 1 mM para-topolin (FIG. 11). Thus para-topolin is not immediately toxic for human skin fibroblasts. Therefore, for all further experiments, para-Topolin was added to the culture medium at the time of seeding the cells.

Short-Term Growth

The effects of para-topolin treatment on short-term growth are shown in FIG. 12. Cell growth was lower to 10% in 40 μM and over 40% reduction in 80 μM treated cells. At higher concentrations (200 to 500 μM) cellular growth was significantly inhibited and after 11 days there was almost a total inhibition. Since beta-galactosidase staining did not show any increase in the number of prematurely senescent cells, it appears that only dose of 40 μM of para-topolin may be suitable for further studies on human skin fibroblasts.

Pictures in FIG. 13: A, B, C, D & E, were taken from one step growth curve experiment after eleven days of treatment. Cytotoxicity of cells was seen over a dose of 80 μM. At higher doses (200 and 500 μM) the cells appeared to be large in appearance, irregularly arranged and few in numbers. (FIG. 16 [D&E]).

Cell Survival and Toxicity

Mitochondrial dehydrogenase from living cells is able to convert soluble MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, a tetrazole) to an insoluble formazen via a reduction reaction. FIG. 14 shows a wide range of concentrations (ranging from 0.01-500 μM) on young fibroblasts tested for determining the cell survival effects on 4OH-BAP. We show by MTT assay that para-topolin treatment is not cytotoxic to the dermal fibroblasts until a dose of 100 μM. However there was a 15-25% reduction in cell survival at a higher dose (200-500 μM).

Lysosomal Activity

NRU (neutral red uptake assay) test permits to rapidly evaluate cytotoxicity of different screening compounds.

Pictures from the FIG. 15 suggest that the staining pattern of cells showed autophagy (40 μM-500 μM).

NRU (neutral red uptake assay) test permits to rapidly evaluate cytotoxicity of different screening compounds. FIG. 16 shows that until 40 μM, the macro-molecular turn-over rate of para-topolin treated cells were similar to those of the untreated. At a higher range of doses (80 & 200 μM), results showed 10-15% reduction in the macro-molecular turn over rate. In conclusion there were no negative effects at 40 μM para-topolin treated cells.

Proteasomal Activity

The effects of para-Topolin on Proteasomal activity is shown in the FIG. 17. Para-topolin treatment (40 μM, to 200 μM) showed a slight improvement with those of the control cells on the proteasomal activity of human cells using one of the three types of proteasomal activities, namely chymotrypsin-like.

Effects on Young and Senescent Cells

Cytoskeletal Organization:

Cells with more than 90% lifespan were treated with different doses of para-topolin in order to see if this treatment could revert any of the age related changes. FIG. 18 shows actin staining pattern in senescent cells (SNF p45) after 3 days. There are no obvious differences in treated and untreated cells.

Morphology of Senescent Cells:

Senescent human skin fibroblasts were treated with various doses of para-topolin to see if this treatment could reverse age-related alterations in their morphology. FIG. 19 shows that there were subtle differences in the appearance of cells after 7 days and 14 days of treatment. The cells progressively became heterogeneous with large and flattened appearance. The cells began to shrink and die after a prolonged treatment for 14 days.

Cell Survival:

Equal numbers of senescent cells were seeded in separate flasks and were treated with different concentrations of para-topolin. Cell numbers were determined by using a Coulter counter after trpsinization and resuspension of cells after 7 and 14 days of treatment.

FIG. 20 shows that the numbers of surviving senescent cells were tolerant to para-topolin until 80 μM within 7 to 14 days of treatment. However, at a higher dose (200 μM) no further growth of the cells was observed.

Conclusions for Para-Topolin:

The results obtained so far from these series of experiments on the short-term effects of para-topolin on human skin fibroblasts indicate that this compound has beneficial anti-aging effects (at a dose of 40 μM).

Results for ortho-topolin [6-(2-hydroxybenzylamino)purine]

Cell Attachment

Percent of cells attached to the surface of the culture flask (FIG. 21) was not affected to any significant extent (80 to 90% attachment) after 6 hours of treatment with 40 to 400 μM ortho-topolin. Thus, ortho-topolin is not immediately toxic for human skin fibroblasts. Therefore, for all further experiments, ortho-topolin was added to the culture medium at the time of seeding the cells.

Cell Survival and Toxicity

A wider range of concentrations (from 0.01 to 500 μM) was tested for determining the effects of ortho-topolin on the survival of human skin fibroblasts after 3 days of treatment. FIG. 22 shows that until 100 μM, there was no toxic effect on the survival of human cells. However, at 200 μM and 500 μM, there was 10-20% reduced survival of cells. So, it appears that there is only a limited range of concentration (up to about 100 μM) that is tolerable by human skin fibroblasts.

Short-Term Growth

The effects of ortho-topolin treatment on short-term growth are shown in FIG. 23. Cell growth was almost similar in untreated and 40 μM and 80 μM treated cells, but at higher concentrations (200 and 400 μM). Cellular growth was significantly inhibited, and after 7 days there was almost a total inhibition. Although beta-galactosidase staining did not show any increase in the number of prematurely senescent cells, apoptosis assay showed that there was some induction of apoptosis in cells treated with 200 μM ortho-topolin for 3 days (pictures not included). Thus, it appears that ortho-topolin may not be suitable for long-term treatment of human skin fibroblasts.

Effects on Senescent Cells

Cytoskeletal Organization:

Late passage senescent cells with more than 95% lifespan were treated with different concentrations of ortho-topolin in order to see if this treatment could revert any of the age-related changes. FIG. 24 shows actin staining pattern in senescent cells after 3 days. There were no obvious differences in untreated and treated cells. So, it does not appear that ortho-topolin can revert age-related changes in actin organization in senescent cells.

Morphology of Senescent Cells:

Senescent human skin fibroblasts were treated with various doses of ortho-topolin to see if this treatment could reverse age-related changes in these cells. FIG. 25 shows that there were no significant differences in the appearance of cells after 7 days of treatment. However, on longer treatment, cells treated with 80 μM and above appeared to be unhealthy and sick than untreated cells or those treated with 40 μM ortho-topolin. Therefore, it appears that there is little or only a limited applicability of ortho-topolin to revert age-related changes in human skin fibroblasts. Further experiments on cell numbers (described below) confirmed this observation that senescent cells do not tolerate ortho-topolin treatment well.

Cell Survival:

Equal numbers of senescent cells were seeded in separate flasks and were treated with different concentrations of ortho-topolin. Cell numbers were determined by using a Coulter counter after trypsinisation and resuspension of cells, after 7 and 14 days of treatment. FIG. 26 shows that ortho-topolin above a concentration of 80 μM reduces the number of surviving senescent cells significantly within 7 to 14 days. This indicates that senescent cells are more sensitive to the harmful effects of ortho-topolin than young cells.

Some preliminary tests for the induction/inhibition of senescence-specific beta-galactosidase activity and induction of apoptosis in senescent cells showed some toxic effects at higher concentrations (pictures not included), but these results were basically in agreement with the results obtained for cell survival of young and senescent cells as described above.

Conclusions for Ortho-Topolin:

The results obtained from these series of experiments on the short term effects of ortho-topolin on human skin fibroblasts indicate that this compound has little or no beneficial effects, and may be toxic for human cells if used over a long term.

Results for meta-topolin [6-(3-hydroxybenzylamino)purine]

Cell Attachment

Percent of cells attached to the surface of the culture flask was not affected to any significant extent (about 80 attachment) after 6 hours of treatment with 40 to 200 μM meta-topolin (FIG. 27). However, at 400 μM, there was a 20% reduction in cell attachment. Thus, meta-topolin (up to 200 μM) is not immediately toxic for human skin fibroblasts. Therefore, for all further experiments within this range of concentration, meta-topolin was added to the culture medium at the time of seeding the cells.

Cell Survival and Toxicity

A wider range of concentrations (from 0.01 to 500 μM) was tested for determining the effects of meta-topolin on the survival of human skin fibroblasts after 3 days of treatment. FIG. 28 shows that even at very low concentrations (between 0.01 and 1 μM) meta-topolin killed about 40% cells during 3 days of treatment. Concentrations above 1 μM did not have any more toxicity. Since 60% cells did survive meta-topolin treatment, it will be interesting to find out the reasons for this differential toxicity, and its implications in biological terms.

Short-Term Growth

Although the 3-day survival assay had shown that meta-topolin killed about 40% cells, it was interesting to find out what happens over a longer treatment of up to 9 days. The effects of meta-topolin treatment on short-term growth are shown in FIG. 29. After an initial lag in growth rate, cell growth was almost similar in untreated and 40 μM and 80 μM treated cells, but at higher concentration (200 μM), the rate of growth was slowed down, and at 400 μM there was almost no growth of cells. Apoptosis assay also showed that there was meta-topolin-induced cell death at 40 μM and above within 3 days of treatment (pictures not included). Thus it appears that meta-topolin may not be suitable for long-term treatment of human skin fibroblasts.

Effects on Senescent Cells

Cell Survival:

Equal numbers of senescent cells were seeded in separate flasks and were treated with different concentrations of ortho-topolin. Cell numbers were determined by using a Coulter counter after trypsinization and resuspension of cells, after 7 and 14 days of treatment. FIG. 30 shows that meta-topolin treatment reduces the number of surviving senescent cells in a dose dependent manner in 7 to 14 days. Even 80 μM treatment had negative effects on the survival of senescent cells and at 200 and 400 μM, these effects were quite significant. These results also indicate that senescent cells are more sensitive to the harmful effects of ortho-topolin than young cells.

Cytoskeletal Organization:

Late passage senescent cells with more than 95% lifespan were treated with different concentrations of meta-topolin in order to see if this treatment could revert any of the age-related changes. FIG. 31 shows actin staining pattern in senescent cells after three days. Although 40 μM meta-topolin treatment depolymerised actin filaments to some extent, at higher concentrations, this disorganization of actin was seen to have harmful effects with respect to cellular cytoskeletal organization. So, it does not appear that meta-topolin can revert age-related changes in actin organization in senescent cells.

Morphology of Senescent Cells:

Senescent human skin fibroblasts were treated with various doses of meta-topolin to see if this treatment could reverse age-related changes in these cells. FIG. 32 shows that at low concentrations there were no significant differences in the appearance of cells after 7 days of treatment. However, at 200 μM and above, already within 7 days, some negative effects could be observed. On longer treatment for 14 days, cells treated with 80 μM and above appeared to be unhealthy and sick than untreated cells or those treated with 40 μM meta-topolin. Therefore, it appears that there is almost no applicability of meta-topolin to revert age-related changes in human skin fibroblasts. Parallel experiments on cell numbers (FIG. 30 above) confirmed this observation that senescent cells do not tolerate meta-topolin treatment well.

Conclusions for Meta-Topolin:

The results obtained from these series of experiments on the short-term effects of meta-topolin on human skin fibroblasts indicate that this compound has little or no beneficial effects and may be toxic for human cells over a long term.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The experiments were performed to determine the effects of short-term treatment of ortho-topolin, meta-topolin, and para-topolin on cell attachment, survival, growth, apoptosis, actin cytoskeletal pattern, lysosomal activity, proteasomal activity and morphology of human skin fibroblasts in culture.

The results obtained indicated that para-topolin is well suited as a potential anti-ageing compound in contrast to meta- and ortho-topolins which showed no obvious beneficial effects:

Overall cell attachment was improved by 10-40% for para-topolin treated cells (at 40, 80, 100, 160, 250, and 500 μM) indicating a putative significant effect on the extra cellular matrix of the cells by collagen cross-linking. No improvements in cell attachments were observed with meta- and ortho-topolin treatments.

Cleaning up activity of the cytoplasmic debris and its removal from the cells (the macro-molecular turn-over rate) was observed by lysosomal quantification in para-topolin pre-treated fibroblasts. No such effective removal was observed with meta- and ortho-topolin treatments.

Effective removal rate of accumulated oxidized and abnormal proteins by proteasome within dermal cells pre-treated with para-topolin was observed in a dose dependent manner at concentrations 40, 80 and 200 μM. On contrary, meta- and ortho-topolin treatments failed to show such an effect at any concentration.

Cell growth was not affected using para-topolin treatment at 40 μM. Growth was reduced at 80, 200 and 500 μM. Cell proliferation using meta- and ortho-topolin treatments declined to a significant extent showing a reduction in cell numbers at all concentrations (40, 80, 200 and 500 μM).

Healthy appearances of the cells were maintained (revealed by microscopic examination) by para-topolin pre-treatment on dermal cells (at 40 and 80 μM). However, at concentrations 200 and 500 μM toxic effects with enlargement in cell sizes were observed. The meta- and ortho-topolin pre-treatments looked morbid in appearance at all doses at 40, 80, 200 and 500 μM.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The new heterocyclic compounds based on N⁶-substituted adenine according to the invention are useful in diagnostic and therapeutic method especially in the pharmaceutical industry, in cosmetics, in biotechnology and in agriculture.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cosmetic composition comprising 6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine.
 2. A method for inhibiting ageing and senescence of mammalian epidermal cells, said method comprising administering 6-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)purine to a mammal in need of such treatment.
 3. A method of claim 2, wherein the mammalian epidermal cells are fibroblasts. 